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Interesting Draft analysis for the Chiefs.

evan silva (@evansilva) is the senior football editor for rotoworld's nfl page, and josh norris (@joshnorris) leads rotoworld's college football and nfl draft coverage. together, they're breaking down every team's biggest needs and offering potential solutions in may's draft.for a breakdown on every team, check out the team-by team draft preview schedule.

No. 1 Team Need: Offensive Line

Silva's analysis

left tackle branden albert, right guard geoff schwartz, and top interior reserve jon asamoah all left in free agency. left guard jeff allen struggled mightily for a second straight season, while c rodney hudson is entering a contract year. 2013 no. 1 overall pick eric fisher was a letdown as a rookie, and swing tackle donald stephenson is best suited for a backup role. beyond fisher, the chiefs have little settled long term on their offensive line. they may use multiple draft picks here.

Norris' options

first day option: g xavier su’a-filo, ucla - the top pure guard in this class, su’a-filo is extremely agile for an interior offensive lineman. he easily gets to the second level and can reach laterally when needing to seal a opponents. despite his pear shape, su’a-filo is an extremely strong and aggressive blocker. he is always looking for an uncovered defender when left open at the snap.

second day possibility: g dakota dozier, furman - dozier is another prospect making the move from left tackle to guard, but he looked very comfortable in tight spaces at the east west shrine game and when covered by a tight end at furman. he can bend at the knees to absorb in pass protection or drive block with an athletic lower half.

third day flier: c gabe ikard, oklahoma - ikard will struggle to hold up against face up nose tackles at this point in his development, but he is a move center with mobility. his game is all about reaching and getting in front of defensive linemen or linebackers. ikard is an occupier.

No. 2 Team Need: Safety

Silva's analysis

the chiefs predictably let incumbent fs kendrick lewis leave without a fight, and salary-cap constraints prevented them from replacing him before the draft. converted cornerback sanders commings is currently penciled in at free safety. it's a position at which kansas city figures to use a high draft pick, perhaps as early as no. 23 overall. as ss eric berry is at his best playing close to the line of scrimmage, bob sutton's defense could use a rangy safety to roam center field.

Norris' options

first day option:jimmie ward, niu - i think i have mentioned ward more often than any other prospect in these previews, but for good reason. after ha ha clinton-dix, ward is the next best safety in this class, but could be the third one selected. ward played man coverage at the line of scrimmage, in the box and in the deeper portions of the field. he has some kenny vaccaro in his game.

second day possibility:brock vereen, minnesota - there just are not enough true free safeties in this class. vereen has played more in the box and in man coverage as a nickel corner. many teams are moving towards three safeties in nickel situations rather than three corners. vereen can fill this role.

third day flier: ed reynolds, stanford - reynolds is at his best keeping the pass and the run in front of him. he loses ground when opening his hips and transitioning. he can read the quarterback’s eyes in the hopes of getting a jump on the intended target.

No. 3 Team Need: Wide Receiver

Silva's analysis

the chiefs were the only team in the nfl in 2013 whose tailback led them in targets, catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns. andy reid deserves a lot of credit for expanding alex smith's willingness to pull the trigger over the course of the season, but smith won't continue his growth without better weapons. kansas city also lost dexter mccluster's 53 receptions in free agency.

Norris' options

First day option: Marqise Lee, USC - Lee had a down 2013, specifically due to a drop rate of over 12 percent. He was mainly used on inside and outside breaking routes in the short to intermediate levels of the field. This is where Alex Smith is at his best. Lee is a fluid mover with body control, which allows him to separate on the ground or create a sliver of space when adjusting for the catch.

Second day possibility: Jarvis Landry, LSU - Landry is a thick slot receiver who wins with little wasted movement, timing and the best hands in this draft. He’s not a straight-line speedster, but Landry would help Smith in the short and intermediate levels. He can also win in contested situations.

Third day flier: Michael Campanaro, Wake Forest - You all might think I’m stereotyping, but Campanaro does his best work in the slot. With that said, he did flash a few vertical catches.

So the SMART thing would be to leave those holes unfilled?
Or maybe we could pay free agents to fill those holes. Wait. We don't have any money to spend on free agents.

I can never understand people who always pick a motto and blindly promote it as gospel. Every draft is different. Every year, the team situation is different. Teams that are reasonably without gaping holes should draft the best player. Teams that are desperate to fill holes should fill those first to get to the point to get to that point.

Yes, if Clowney is somehow available at 23 by some miracle and the remaining WR has a 3rd round rating then you should not pass up the former, but all things almost equal you try to fill needs AT VALUE.

i disagree a team that draft out of need is always drafting out of need. you take best player available its the only way to do it teams that get it draft that way...teams who are always reaching always have holes and needs...thank God for those teams. Reid and Dorsey have never drafted that way. They seem to both understand the offensive and defensive lines are important and usually draft in those areas early.
Reid likes skill guys in the 2nd and third round...jackson mcoy etc etc
Reid always seems to go after a "sleeper" defensive back in the 2nd round(j jarrett matt ware michael lewis)guys not projected to go that high...thats why i think our 3rd round pick(unless antonio richardson ot falls to our pick) will be jonathan dowling fs

i disagree a team that draft out of need is always drafting out of need. you take best player available its the only way to do it teams that get it draft that way...teams who are always reaching always have holes and needs... o not draft out of need it is the most absolute stupid thing a gm can do...

These, my friend, are just slogans. With all due respect. The best GMs are the most adaptable ones to their current situations. If you have a contending team that you want to MAINTAIN you draft BPA. If you are still building you draft for need (without dramatic reaching).

I think Dorsey is committed to drafting the best player available at one of our positions of need. He said something to that effect, but I forgot where. Fortunately (or not) the Chiefs have plenty of needs this year, so I know we will get quality players at least in rounds 1 and 3, maybe more than that.

I think Dorsey is committed to drafting the best player available at one of our positions of need. He said something to that effect, but I forgot where. Fortunately (or not) the Chiefs have plenty of needs this year, so I know we will get quality players at least in rounds 1 and 3, maybe more than that.

Dorsey has said there will be pool of players in consideration when the Chiefs pick & he would pick "the best player, who was the best fit for the KC Chiefs" <-- those were his words going into last years draft and one would have to think he would stick to the same principal this year.

Dorsey has said there will be pool of players in consideration when the Chiefs pick & he would pick "the best player, who was the best fit for the KC Chiefs" <-- those were his words going into last years draft and one would have to think he would stick to the same principal this year.

And that's why I think he will seriously consider trading down (at least a few spots) for extra choices because he will probably have several to pick from at 23. Some of the "several" are bound to be available to him a little later too.

These, my friend, are just slogans. With all due respect. The best GMs are the most adaptable ones to their current situations. If you have a contending team that you want to MAINTAIN you draft BPA. If you are still building you draft for need (without dramatic reaching).

I understand what you are saying and I agree but at some point the need blinds you from true Value. Was Tyson Jackson really a top 3 player? Was Eric Fisher Really the #1 player, or even Luke Joeckel. There are some positions that are always a need that seems to get rated higher when in truth the best player available may be a Center, Guard or Running Back.

I understand what you are saying and I agree but at some point the need blinds you from true Value. Was Tyson Jackson really a top 3 player? Was Eric Fisher Really the #1 player, or even Luke Joeckel. There are some positions that are always a need that seems to get rated higher when in truth the best player available may be a Center, Guard or Running Back.

The difference between an ordinary GM and a great one is the fact that the latter has the ability to take his blinders off. Tyson Jackson and Eric Fisher both happened in draft years of forgettable overall draft talent. There were no Clowneys, Andrew Lucks, RGIIIs, Khalil Macks, Sammy Watkins', or Von Millers in the recent years when we were picking at the top or near it. Thus we were denied game changers or the possibility to attract trade partners. Just a terrible terrible run of luck for the Chiefs. The last time stars lined up like that for the Chiefs was when we picked Derrick Thomas at 3. And that was centuries ago (in football years).

By draft time last year Fisher and Joekel were consensus top talents on almost all draft boards. This year, they would perhaps rank 15ish. Nobody was offering the Chiefs anything for that top pick last year. This year the Texans have the luxury of getting a game changer or trading down for multiple draft choices in a deep draft. Our year was sandwiched between two great draft classes. :(

There are a lot of factors to it. It certainly isn't as cut and dry as "BPA", or "Draft For Need".

Your positional needs alter the value of players, by position. If the BPA is a HB, and you have a guy challenging Charles for playing time, and you have zero starting OGs, the rating for the OG prospect is getting a boost over the HB.

Period.... Every team's prospect ratings system will be affected by that. It's just a matter of how much the ratings are affected.

Nobody is taking the Punter over the WR either. Positions have different values, league-wide. You have a "once in a decade prospect" at Kicker, and a "once in a decade prospect" at QB, it's a no-brainer. Even if you have no Kicker.

I don't believe that any GM is not affected by the team-need and positional-value influences.